Firefighter 50: Pleasant Valley, MD

For the second year in a row, my wife, a friend, and I rode the the Firefighter50 near Westminster, MD. We chose the 35 mile route. We arrived Sunday at the fire station, unloaded the bikes, registered, and were riding before 7am. We wanted to finish before the heat set in. The morning was cool and damp. Fog hung in some of the valleys as the country roads meanered passed farmhouses and fields. I rode my Rivendell Romulus which I converted to a 650b. It superbly handled the rolling hills.

By mid-morning the sun burned through the low layer of clouds and fog. This is a lovely area in Maryland to ride and a well-organized event supporting a worthwhile cause. After the ride everyone is treated to a delicious lunch buffet prepared by family and friends of the volunteer firefighters. It’s a real community event! The make your own ice cream sundae bar was my favorite! Next year we will try riding “The Dirty 30”-the 30 mile dirt road route. Promises to be equally fun!